She knew this would be the last evening she would see the man for whom she had abandoned her home...

and her family, given up her lovely voice and suffered endless torment every day, without him having any idea of this. This was the last night she would breathe the same air as he did, see the deep ocean and the star-studded sky, an eternal night without thoughts or dreams awaited her, she who had no soul and would never be able to gain one.
It grew quiet and still on board, the little mermaid laid her white arm on the railing and looked eastwards towards the approaching dawn, the first rays of the sun, she knew, would kill her.
Then she saw her sisters rise up out of the sea, they were pale, as she was; their long beautiful hair no longer fluttered in the wind – it had been cut off.
‘We have given it to the witch, so that she can bring help and prevent you from dying this night! She has given us a knife – here it is! Can you see how sharp it is? Before the sun rises, you must plunge it into the prince’s heart...